News

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will increase patrols for an eight-day period that includes both the Christmas and New Year holidays. From Dec. 24 - 27 and Dec. 31 - Jan. 3, DPS troopers, as well as law enforcement across the state, will be patrolling roadways throughout the holiday weekends looking for drunk drivers, speeders, seat belt violators and other drivers who are endangering themselves and others. “Drinking and driving is always a concern during the holidays, and these DPS patrols help by identifying impaired or reckless drivers who endanger the safety of the traveling public,“ said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “We urge Texans to do their part to save lives by always driving sober and adhering to all traffic laws.” During the Christmas/New Year holiday enforcement effort last year, DPS troopers made 403 DWI arrests.

The executive director of the nation’s third-largest lottery has resigned following a scandal involving inflating jackpots. Prior to his resignation, Reagan Greer had overseen the Texas Lottery since 2003. His resignation comes just two weeks after he admitted approving advertising Lotto Texas jackpots higher than what ticket sales could support. “”In recent days, it has become clear that intense, ongoing efforts to restore Texans’ confidence in the lottery can best be advanced through a change of leadership,“ Greer wrote in letter of resignation. Greer said he had signed off on a staff report proposing an $8 million advertised jackpot for June 8 even though the report said estimated sales could cover only $6.5 million. Greer said he approved that and two earlier inflated estimates without studying them because he trusted their accuracy. In an upcoming lottery commission meeting agenda, it is suggested Greer could have been fired had he not stepped down.

Many parents gave their teens a smart phone this Christmas season. While this amazing technology has made life much more convenient, it is well known that these devices are also responsible for many distracted driving crashes. What might not be apparent are the dangers that smart phones pose for teens when they are walking — especially crossing streets. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 50 percent of all pedestrian deaths occur among young adults 19 years old and under. Injuries to older teens have increased 25 percent over the past five years. Safe Kids studies show that one in five high school students crosses the street while distracted — most while texting or wearing headphones. And, one in eight middle school students are distracted while crossing the street. In the few seconds that it takes to read or send a text message, taking your eyes off the path ahead can be deadly.

Due to the retirement of Senator Troy Fraser and Senator Kevin Eltife, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announces the following appointments: Sen. Craig Estes - Chairman, Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development Sen. Kelly Hancock - Chairman, Senate Business and Commerce “The Texas Senate is losing a significant amount of institutional knowledge with the loss of Senators Fraser and Eltife,“ said Patrick. “Replacing them is difficult but necessary in order to allow the Texas Senate to prepare for the coming session. “Sen. Estes has served as vice chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee for the last eight years. He has the ability to lead this important committee by protecting our most important natural resources while preserving the free market principles that make Texas great. “Sen. Hancock has served as a strong conservative leader in both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate.

The building that once housed Lone Star Elementary school still sits atop the hill, vacant since 2010 when declining enrollment forced the Daingerfield-Lone Star Independent School District to shut the school down. For five years, rumors have flown as to what should happen to the building, and a recent city council meeting offered no new insight on that front. According to City Manager Devon Whatley, the building, which has been purchased by the Lone Star Economic Development Board, was on the Agenda for December’s council meeting. However, it was only to discuss and plan how to preserve the building and get it back to a useable state. “We are trying to ‘stop the bleeding,’ and make repairs to preserve the building,” Whatley said. The state of the building has been evaluated, to have an estimate on the cost to bring the building back to where it can be used again. On Dec.

Fifty needy families in the Daingerfield area had a Christmas feast, thanks to the efforts of a group of women whose goal is to serve the community. Each year, Brookshire’s Grocery Company holds a companywide project known as “The Spirit of Giving Food Drive.” Shoppers can purchase pre-bagged meals, which are collected at Brookshire’s stores, and then donated to community organizations to help the needy. In Daingerfield, the store partners with Beta Sigma Phi, a national service sorority. “The sorority has been doing the food drive for approximately 25 years,” said member Laurie Laney. “We partnered with Brookshire’s about 10 years ago,” she said. All donations to Brookshire’s “Spirit of Giving” is donated to the sorority, but that is not the only source of donations for the group’s food drive. “South Elementary collected 1,700 canned goods and donated them to our drive,” said Laney.

The investigation into a mid-December shooting at the Naples Apartments is ongoing, according to Naples Police Chief Jim Grisham. The shooting left 25 year-old Jarvis Barnes dead, and 26 year-old Elijah Sims hospitalized.
According to Grisham, the Naples Police Department received a call in the early evening hours of Dec. 10 of “shots fired” at the Naples Apartments. The first officers on scene discovered two gunshot victims in the parking lot of the apartments. Both victims were transported to Titus Regional Medical Center, where Barnes was pronounced dead as a result of his wounds. Sims was admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, but has since been released and is recovering at home.
Chief Grisham said that investigation is ongoing, but it has revealed that Sims was not the second shooter.

As hard as it is to believe that 2016 is beginning, it is true. 2015, though it seemed to fly by, had it share of newsworthy events. Here is how the year began: January The Daingerfield Chamber of Commerce re-elected all 2014 officers for the upcoming year. Rocky Thomasson was re-elected president, and the officers were all selected to continue in their current roles. Keitha Nilsson continued as vice president, while Cresta LeFevre was selected to serve another term as secretary/ treasurer. Directors, who were elected in Dec. 2014 by the chamber’s membership, are Tracey Climer, Shane Pennington, Tolita Teddleton, Becky Brezeale, Keres Fite, Marie Bankard, Janice Bryant and Penni Connor. “There’s no place like home” was the theme for the 2015 Hughes Springs Chamber Banquet and Crystal Globe Award. Carol Griffis was presented the “Citizen of the Year” award at the banquet. February The Steel Country Bee welcomed a new editor on Feb. 3, 2015.

Christmas Day ended in a tragic way for one Naples family, as an altercation led to the arrest of one, and the death of another. Naples Police Chief Jim Grisham confirmed the event on Monday. In a statement from the department, 27 year-old Rickey Dehay was arrested on Dec. 25 for aggravated assault with serious bodily injury after an incident at the 200 block of First Street in Naples. Reports said Dehay and his wife were involved in an altercation outside their family home when Jimmy Fields, 47, attempted to step in. Fields is the father of Dehay’s wife. Dehay then shoved Fields off the porch, causing him to hit his head on the sidewalk.

To continue reading this article, purchase the December 31st edition of the Steel Country Bee, or go to our online e-edition at: http://www.etypeservices.com/Daingerfield%20BeeID312/default.aspx

The Kings who visited Jesus after his birth brought with them gifts for the new king. The Magi would have given the Christ child many gifts, but the only ones that are mentioned are in the gospel of Matthew (2:11). Here it is stated the kings offered Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. All 3 gifts have a “real” value and a “prophetic” one. The giving of gifts would have been an Oriental custom. It is important to note that these gifts were the very best that could be given from the world during that period from the East. Persia at that time controlled the Silk Routes to India and China. GOLD Gold is a metal with valuable properties. It is the most malleable/ductile metal known. 1 oz. of gold can be rolled into an ultra-thin sheet over 200 inches on each side!! Gold is also almost impervious to acids and corrosion. It could be buried easily and still preserve its value, unless you forgot where you buried it. Gold was also difficult to fake.